Incinerator plan returns

Fresh plans for an incinerator at a site in Hamilton’s Whistleberry Road in Hamilton are in the pipeline.

It has emerged that Clean Power Properties, whose original plans met with opposition, has lodged a new Proposal of Application notice with South Lanarkshire.

However, this week councillors and campaigners couldn’t believe the new application had been put forward.

Phil Sykes, chair of Hamilton Energy Recovery Action Group (HERAG), which fought the original proposals, said: “The affected communities of South Lanarkshire stood together against this incinerator.

“The people of Hamilton, Bothwell and Blantyre are appalled at this proposal which directly ignores the universal opposition of our communities and seemingly challenges them to show that they have the energy and enthusiasm to fight these new proposals.

“Well, I can say to Clean Power and its agents, on behalf of our communities, we do have the drive to fight this again and we will accept their challenge. We beat them once and we will beat them again.”

SNP Councillor Jim Mcguigan, representing Bothwell and Uddingston, said: “I know that the community of Bothwell rallied together to fight this before and I am sure they will do again.”

Residents say since the last application was submitted, residential accommodation for showmen’s families has been erected within metres of the site and the increased noise, traffic and pollution will be a real threat to these families.

Labour Central Scotland MSP Monica Lennon and Hamilton North and East Councillor said: “The Scottish Government’s decision to grant planning permission for an incinerator at Whitehill continues to threaten our local communities.

“Had SNP ministers listened to local residents and councillors back in 2014 it would have accepted the ruling of South Lanarkshire Council and sent the developer packing. Nobody wanted the incinerator then, except for investors based in the Isle of Man and the SNP Government in Edinburgh.

“As a local councillor I have stood shoulder to shoulder with local people in opposing an incinerator at this site and, as an MSP, I will continue to fight it.”

Hamilton North and East Labour Councillor Davie Mclachlan said: “When I learned of the Proposal of Application Notice, I contacted their agent in London to get some detail and was shocked to discover that the new plant would have a 90-metre stack instead of the currently permitted 25-metre stack, and this would be needed due to the increased levels of nitrogen dioxide.

“To give some idea of the height of this stack, the mausoleum in Hamilton is 128ft high, a 90-metre stack would be 300ft high. This is unacceptable on the doorstep of thousands of residents and three schools.”